Sasuke: Near Kisses
by ELIE
Summary: [SasuNaru] What does a kiss mean?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Before I continue, I would just like to say that I know that this plot is a bit overused and some people are getting tired of reading the same thing over and over again but as a typical fangirl, I couldn't help but make my own version. So here, hope you guys like it.

SASUKE: NEAR KISSES

"WHAT!" Haruno Sakura shrieked.

It was a very unappriopriate thing to do, since it was only seven in the morning. If the girl was unaware, the people of Konoha had their own alarm clocks that weren't supposed to go off until later that day. Obviously, Sakura cared more for the matter at hand than waking up the people in the vicinity with unnecessary noises.

While Sakura was very surprised after receiving unbelievable information, the Uchiha of Team 7 said nothing and judging from the looks on his face, his thoughts were far from the newsflash the two of them received. Kakashi, unlike either of the two, just smiled sheepishly.

"So I guess today's mission is off," Sasuke finally said.

"Unless you and Sakura decide to do it by yourselves," Kakashi quipped. The Jounin was quite happy today, for some unknown reason. Then again, Kakashi found joy in simple things—like his "sacred" novel, "Icha Icha Paradise."

"How can Naruto be SICK?" the girl demanded all of the sudden, still not convinced that the loud, arrogant Uzumaki Naruto could actually act humbly before a lowly virus.

"He's… human?" Kakashi answered uncertainly, casting a look at Sasuke, who merely shrugged. Sakura though, was not convinced with such an answer. The Jounin, despite all his knowledge and chart-topping IQ, could not make Haruno Sakura understand that Naruto couldn't feign sickness even if he wanted to and it was possible for him to get sick—for real. Sasuke just stood there the whole time, just outside Naruto's house.

With all the noise the three (two, actually) were making, it wouldn't be surprising if things started flying towards them. It was such an ungodly hour in the morning and normal people would rather be asleep during this time.

"The mission is off, then." Saskue announced.

The five-word statement managed to catch the other two's attention as well as shut them up. It also managed to put funny, indescribable looks on both Kakashi and Sakura's faces. If Sasuke wasn't so serious about what he said, he would've laughed at them for being able to look like that in the first place. It was Kakashi who recovered first and afterwards, he wiped the look off his face.

"If that's your decision, it's fine with me," Kakashi nodded towards Sasuke. Sakura looked as if she wanted to disagree but said nothing of the sort.

"Great. It's settled then. But we have another problem," The Jounin's face became solemn as well as his voice. "Who's going to take care of Naruto?"

Sasuke and Sakura exchanged looks and it was evident that neither of them wanted to do the said job. Kakashi sighed. Where was the "team" in Team 7 if none of the members would volunteer to take care of a sick comrade?

Then again, this is Naruto we're talking about.

You could bury him alive and he'll come back the day after or maybe drown him in the sea and he'll manage to swim back to shore—and it's not only because of the demon fox inside of him. Naruto was so persistent to live that it was unbelievable for him to get sick in the first place.

"I wish I could go but I have a lot to do today," Kakashi said.

"Some reading perhaps, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. Kakashi laughed nervously but decided best not to reply. He chose well.

The next few minutes were spent glancing at each other, hoping the other one would give in and volunteer. During the time that the three were together, they had managed to get through each other's barricades somehow and be a bit more closer to each other. But not close enough to want to take care of Naruto for the whole day. The other two had a bit of sanity left to disagree.

After countless minutes, telepathic messages and worried glances, Sasuke finally spoke up.

"I'll do it," he said in a I-pity-the-guy-so-I'll-do-it kind of way.

"Are you sure, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked him.

Sasuke nodded. _It's just one day_, he assured himself. _Nothing bad could possibly happen._

"I hope you don't mind," Kakashi told the Uchiha. "But it's no chore, really. You just have to watch over him. He's asleep so it's much easier."

Inwardly, Sasuke wasn't sure if he did the right thing. In fact, he wasn't sure why he volunteered in the first place. It wasn't pity, that's for sure. There was nothing to pity when it comes to Naruto, at least from his perspective. There was just something so compelling about the boy that Sasuke's curious about.

Kakashi gave him a nod before leaving while Sakura looked like she wanted to stay. In the end, she left with Kakashi and just gave Sasuke a half-proud, half-pity look before completely leaving.

_This better be worth it._

ooOOoo

When Sasuke heard about Naruto getting sick, he couldn't believe his ears just like the next guy. It was like saying that Chouji went on a diet or Neji had started chasing women and likewise Jiraiya giving up on women. It would be more correct to say that Naruto fell off the cliff or he tried to prank the women in the bath or things like that. They accurately describe Naruto but being sick does obviously not. Naruto was strong both physically (thanks to the Kyuubi) and emotionally and all this is a result of hardships and obstacles the boy fought hard to get through and in which he survived. So how could a mere fever slow him down?

Sasuke opened the door to Naruto's so-called house which consisted of a bed, a table, some other undistinguishable things scattered on the floor and of course, cup ramen and hot water. The room was small, cozy and plain—the total opposite of it's occupant, who was snoring softly on his bed clad in his pajamas and his forehead protector clutched tightly in his fist.

Sasuke neared the bed and watched Naruto. The Kyuubi boy could've been mistaken for dead if not for the steady rising and falling of his chest. After having stared at the boy for what seemed like minutes, Sasuke pulled up a chair and placed it beside the bed before sitting on it. He watched Naruto again, envying his peaceful look. His face was devoid of any emotions and at the same time, he exuded a calm and soothing aura and his naïve and childish features made him all the more pure.

At the realization that Naruto was indeed someone who was pure and untainted, Sasuke became aware of his hands. They were hard, callous yet skilled. Just reminiscing what these hands have accomplished—or wished to accomplish—they are very dirty, compared to the hands Naruto owns. Is this what the Uchiha saw in him?

Innocence… Naivety… Purity. The relentless will to try and try again and the persistent drive to become the Hokage. Sasuke had dreams of his own. Then again, they weren't really dreams. Drives, perhaps but far from being a dream. Dreams were from childish fantasies brought about by hopefulness and wishful thinking.

Sasuke's though, was driven by a single, solitary thing.

Hate.

"Un…" Naruto moaned and shifted his figure to the right. Sasuke jolted back to reality. He narrowed his eyes at the boy, wondering if he really was sick, as Kakashi-sensei told them. Partly out of curiousity, Sasuke placed his hand on the boy's clad forehead.

His hand might as well burn with the heat that Naruto's forehead was giving off. Sasuke pulled his hand away and immediately went to find a wet towel until he realized there was none. With a completely composed face, the Uchiha stood up and while rummaging through Naruto's things that can serve as a hot compress (A/N: Did I get it right? ) Sasuke heard Naruto's unmistakable cry of pain. At first, the Uchiha felt no need to do anything but when the cries started to get more frequent, he quickly rushed to Naruto's side.

After all, he DID volunteer to take care of him.

Naruto was tossing and turning, his once peaceful face now contorted in pain. Sasuke frowned and racked his brain for the most sensible thing to do. The first thing that came to his mind was to wake Naruto up—and that's exactly what he did.

"Naruto," Sasuke nudged the boy, in hopes of waking him up. Naruto didn't seem to respond the way Sasuke wanted. He continued to toss and turn in his bed.

As much as Sasuke wanted to ease Naruto of the pain he was obviously going through—or trying to go through (A/N: Huh? I don't get my point here.) he was to wake Naruto up to do so. Still not giving up, Sasuke continued to nudge Naruto. His efforts bore fruit at least. Naruto finally woke up.

"Huh… Wha—" Naruto said groggily.

"You're awake, finally." Sasuke said in his usual bored (or if you prefer casual, that can do too) voice although the corners of his mouth were tugged to form a small smile. Naruto, unfortunately, was too sleepy to care.

"Hmm… Sasuke?" Naruto said in his sleepy voice.

"Yeah," Sasuke replied dutifully, although he felt quite stupid to answer in the first place. The next few minutes were spent breathing (provided by both Naruto and Sasuke) and some squinting from the blue-eyed boy. "How… How are you feeling?"

"Ramen," Naruto said hoarsely, trying to sit up.

"Huh?" was all Sasuke could say.

"Ramen."

"You… want ramen?" Sasuke guessed, rather offered helpfully to the boy. Naruto nodded wordlessly and once again tried to sit up. It was only now that Sasuke recognized this gesture as a sign that the boy was indeed having a hard time and as his caretaker, he should help him. Unfortunately, when Sasuke realized all of these, Naruto was already sitting up.

They looked at each other for a moment, waiting.

"Ramen," Naruto repeated. Sasuke then remembered the boy's previous request and stood up to make ramen. For some weird reason, Sasuke found Naruto very distracting today. Then again, the boy did want to be distracting.

Sasuke was itching to look at Naruto as he has his back facing the boy as he prepared Naruto's oasis for his so-called desert. Sasuke moved quickly and tried to finish preparing the ramen before any reactions from Naruto come. Unknown to Sasuke, Naruto had already surrendered to the sweet call of sleep. While the Uchiha was debating whether to peek or not (he was concerned about Naruto's perception if he did—he might mistake his curiosity for concern.), Naruto was already snoring softly behind him.

"Here's your—" Sasuke stopped short at the sight of Naruto's eyes shut. Sasuke didn't know how to react. Should he be the ever-patient caretaker that he should be or the ever-cold Uchiha Sasuke that he truly is?

But looking at Naruto's face seems to erase everything Sasuke had in mind. Who knew why? Certainly not Sasuke, who questioned himself over and over again what was so attractive about Naruto.

Sasuke placed the ramen on the table and sighed. He wanted to understand a lot of things. Like what pushed him to volunteer to be in this room in the first place… or what was with Naruto that aroused his curiosity so much… or even why he was feeling this way towards the Kyuubi boy.

_I like him._

That's true. Sasuke likes Naruto. He liked his loud, disturbing voice, his eccentric personality, his do-or-die-trying principle in life and especially his cerulean blue eyes. There was something in those eyes that Sasuke can't put his finger on…

But if to like something means to constantly crave for it, to be nothing without it, to suffer without it even to sacrifice everything for it… then Sasuke doesn't like Naruto.

What he feels if much, much more than that.

The Uchiha wanted to shield Naruto from all the impurities the world has to offer, to be with him at all times, protect him from anything that can harm him and destroy everything that causes him sadness…

He wanted Naruto to be his.

And that isn't just "like." It's something more than the said word. Much, much more that that.

_Then what is it?_

Sasuke stared at Naruto's sleeping face, once again envying him. The boy wondered when he would be able to sleep like that. He wondered if it was even possible for him to do so. His gaze swept over Naruto's closed eyelids to his eyelashes down to his nose and finally to his lips.

Never had Sasuke felt so tempted to do something so… new and foreign. Before, his cool and calm demeanor always prevailed in thinking about these kinds of things. He had an exceptionally strong control over the things he does and he wasn't like Naruto to act rashly and act on things as his emotions dictated. Yet, here he is, feeling the exact same way.

Sasuke frowned. Did he… Is he…

_Am I?_

_It's just one kiss._

_Is it worth it?_

_What will Naruto say?_

Torrents of questions flooded Sasuke's mins and he found them quite annoying. They did nothing but echo back and forth across his head that is was impossible to ignore them. He tried to block them out and he managed to do it even for only a quarter of a second. But it was during this short moment of silence that Sasuke made his decision. The boy nodded and started to lean towards Naruto.

Every second, every heartbeat was seemingly recorded in Sasuke's memory although the questions that plagued his head still continued their persistent questioning. Sasuke paid no attention to them anymore.

He lowered his head with no other thought in mind…

Except Naruto, that is.

Just when Sasuke felt so sure that what he was doing was okay, just when Sasuke assured himself that he wasn't taking advantage of the boy—just grasping an opportunity given to him, just when the Uchiha thought nothing could ever stop him now, just when their faces were a mere nanometer away…

"Un," the Kyuubi boy groaned and shifted his body once again, this time to the left. The action caused Sasuke to freeze in his place, his eyes wide in silent shock. As Naruto moved, his lips brushed Sasuke's lightly and it was then that Sasuke pulled back.

The "kiss" wasn't something he had in mind. He actually planned a longer, more romantic one but unfortunately, his approach must've been wrong. For the first time, the Uchiha's tactic failed. But he wasn't saying he was regretting it.

_Maybe it didn't go as planned…_

Sasuke smiled to himself as he looked at Naruto.

_But there's always next time._

-owari

A/N: haha. Hope you like it! Reviews pleeeeeeaaaase!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wahaha. Be happy, dear reader, for if it wasn't for your request, you wouldn't be reading this now! Anyway, hope you guys like it. :D Oh yeah. I haven't had this proof-read or anything near it (sorry for that!) so if there are any mistakes or whatsoever, I will gladly correct them.

Disclaimer: NaruSasu would be a CANON pairing (well, it's sorta canon, right?) long time ago, if I had owned Naruto.

Sasuke: Near Kisses

Part II

Uchiha Sasuke was not used to emotions. If possible, he makes himself immune to such things. Simply _feeling_ is already a disregard to the first rule of being a ninja, which is to not show any emotion at any given circumstance. Sasuke thought at one point in time, that he reached that stage, where one could feel nothing at all. Feelings, as he had learned to understand, were nothing but hindrances to what a person wants to achieve. They can wound, distract or even destroy a person. It seems that this Uchiha concluded too fast, for within a blur, he was able to feel a lot of emotions.

And the cause of it was a certain blonde, blue-eyed boy.

Since Naruto had gotten out of bed and recovered from his fever, Sasuke decided it was best to avoid him for the meantime. Whatever he said, did or thought during the time he acted as "caretaker" for the Kyuubi boy, he was sure as hell that he won't be capable of repeating it now. He became reckless and thoughtless although he does not deny the fact that he does feel something for Uzumaki Naruto and those same feelings might as well drag him down to the depths of the earth.

The Uchiha would've succeeded in his "mission," if not for the errand Kakashi-sensei asked of him that rainy day. The Jounin suggested that Sasuke train some more for better control of his Sharingan (A/N: If I'm not getting any of this right, kindly correct me. nn;;) and Sasuke, being Sasuke, obeyed.

It wasn't until after his training that Sasuke asked himself why the gods were picking on him. He was walking out of the forest when the rain started to pour harder and any sane person would know that it be best to stay under a shade of something until the rain stops.

Sasuke found a tree, big enough for two persons and so far, it was efficiently doing its job as a temporary umbrella. Now all he had to do is to wait.

"Ah, Sasuke!"

Sasuke's eyes widened at the sound of that voice. He would've appreciated it if a wild stampede came running after him. At least that way, if ever he died, he would have a bit of pride left for being a ninja squashed to death by the animal kingdom. But this… _boy_… might trigger him to die of hara-kiri (which is technically for samurais) or something. He was already searching for his kunai.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto conveniently situated himself beside Sasuke, his blonde hair drenched, his jacket open and his mouth curved in a grin. So the boy was oblivious to EVERYTHING that happened during that fateful day in his room.

"I needed to get out of the rain," Sasuke shrugged. He felt weird urges at the mere sight of Naruto, which is why the Uchiha was having a hard time restraining himself. Hey, the boy's just human.

"So did I!"

Whatever was joyful about this thought, Sasuke failed to see. He just nodded, for lack of better things to say and was silently praying for the rain to stop. Immediately.

His grip on the kunai tightened.

"Ano sa… Ano sa" (A/N: "Ano sa…" means something like "you know." Naruto has this way of repeating phrases that I find very cute! XD) Naruto began. "Thanks for taking care of me the other day."

Sasuke's eyes widened a bit.

_He knows?_

"Sakura-chan got mad at me a while ago because I didn't remember anything about it and urged me thank you immediately."

_Oh._

"Its nothing," Sasuke replied. Although he knew he should feel relieved, the majority of him would want to end this stupid I-don't-care-about-you phase and admit to Naruto how he really feels.

Somewhere, deep down Sasuke's mind, he knew that once Naruto knew about it, it should be forgotten and buried six feet under and should never be unearthed again. He was a ninja and he can't possibly let himself be lured to actually _feeling_ just because his teammate attracts anyone within a 15 meter radius. Not only will it harm Naruto's friendship with him—if you can call it that—but also their future careers as ninjas.

And Sasuke knew better than to destroy that.

"I distinctly remember some weird things involving you but you'll probably laugh at me," Naruto said sheepishly. Sasuke wanted nothing more than to hug him and tell him _everything—_he looked so adorable at that moment. It took almost all of his self-control to prevent him from doing anything rash.

"Try me," Sasuke said in an oddly choked voice. "Will you?"

Naruto gave him a suspicious look at first and for a moment, Sasuke expected the boy to vehemently refuse to say anything and thus, the two would find themselves in a pointless fight, once again. Thankfully, Naruto didn't do so today.

"Just promise you won't laugh." The boy requested. To this, Sasuke replied with a nod. He didn't know what to expect. Naruto himself was unpredictable. What more if such an issue was involved?

"I won't," Sasuke assured.

"Okay, then." Naruto leaned against the tree, as if thinking hard on how to start his next statement. "I know this may sound weird, but I remember that YOU made me ramen. Either that or you just bought one from the store for me,"

"Really, now," Sasuke tried to sound calm but a lump in his throat was forming.

_What else does he remember?_

"Yeah, I mean you wouldn't do _anything_ I say, why would you make me ramen when I asked for it?" Naruto was grinning, as if he just told Sasuke a funny joke. He didn't notice the Uchiha's predicament. "Oh. And if you think that's weird, wait 'til you hear this. Don't think that I'm having weird fantasies or whatever but you tried to kiss me!"

Naruto started to laugh hysterically at this point. Sasuke tried to do the same thing—keyword is _tried._

"Ha," Sasuke said in what he hoped was an arrogant voice. "Why would I do such a thing?"

_Damn._

"Yeah. Your face was nearing mine and I didn't know what to do so I just shifted to my right and—"

Sasuke heard no more. His face paled at the mere words. What could he do? A mere slip of the tongue might send him to a deep pit of embarrassment. After years of scheming, planning and everything in between, Sasuke knew that he must plan each successive step carefully and think things thoroughly. Being rash would just be plain idiotic and being idiotic would get him nowhere.

He didn't want Naruto to know of this. He'd rather he stay as clueless as he is. Many things are at stake here, with their friendship—if you can call it that—on the top of the list. It actually surprised Sasuke that he was capable of such emotions. He'd never bothered to notice them before, even as tons of girls chased him around Konoha, claiming ownership of the said Uchiha. He was free.

And within a few months, that freedom disappeared. The paradox here was that Sasuke didn't mind at all. He was starting to sound like that Hyuuga girl already. Then again, at least Naruto paid attention to her—as in genuine attention, not like the barrage of insults he always threw at him and vice versa—Sasuke wouldn't mind trading places at all—

_NO!_ What could he possibly be thinking? He was not pursuing these emotions for Naruto. Not now, not ever. But something inside him was nagging him… pushing him to tell the truth—

"Oi, Sasuke!" Naruto's impatient voice interrupted Sasuke's musings. "Are you still listening?"

"Er… Yeah," Sasuke shrugged. It was a complete lie.

"Well, it's weird though. I don't know where that came from," Naruto frowned, then he directed his cerulean blue eyes at Sasuke. "What do you think?"

A second passed.

What would Sasuke say?

What could Sasuke possibly say? He was in the deep end no matter what he did. He'll just end up like some…

_Ah hell! Enough with this. I can't stand it anymore._

"Naruto," Sasuke began after taking a deep breath. "I need to tell you something,"

"Okay," Naruto said slowly. Then his face brightened. "Aha! You're going to confess that you're the one who opened my ramen the other day! It's really a mean thing to do, preparing ramen and then just leaving it there…"

"No," Sasuke interrupted. "I just wanted to tell you… that the day I acted as a caretaker for you… was… well…"

"You're not asking me to pay you now, right?"

"Hell, no. Stop interrupting me, _dobe_, so I can get to the point!" Sasuke growled in frustration.

Naruto was a bit taken aback by Sasuke's mild outburst. He gave the Uchiha a weird look before urging him to continue. It wasn't like he had a choice.

"The say I stayed at your place was… uneventful."

"Event…" Naruto began. "…ful? What do you mean?'

_Why does it have to be so damn hard?_

"Let's just say that everything you told me right now is true," Sasuke finally said after a few minutes of silence. He awaited the boy's reaction and unsurprisingly, he didn't know what to expect.

Naruto stared at him hard for a moment, making Sasuke a bit self-conscious. If the fates have it, Naruto would be too dense to comprehend this information and just let the matter rest forever.

Unfortunately, it wasn't like that.

Naruto started to laugh uncontrollably. At times he would pause for a moment and then glance at Sasuke and afterwards, he'd burst into hysterical laughter once again. The cycle went on and on until Sasuke's cheeks grew pink.

_What was so funny?_

Did Naruto think that it was so detestable… so ridiculous that he had to laugh? Here was Sasuke, practically confessing on the spot and Naruto had the heart to laugh? Needless to say, it took away the bit of pride Sasuke had left.

"What's funny?" Sasuke finally asked, his voice composed as ever yet inside, he felt the exact opposite.

Naruto then stopped laughing and stood up straight. He had a serious face on he looked at Sasuke in a weird way that Sasuke found himself trying to match his expression with one of his own. He didn't succeed, though.

_I like you…_

_So what?_

"It was a joke, right?" Naruto asked.

"No," Sasuke replied curtly. "It's not."

His face didn't project laughter or mirth or anything remotely near it this time. The boy seemed at a loss for words. All the while he was frowning at Sasuke and gaping like an idiot.

Sasuke wanted it to end. It wouldn't last long enough for either of them, anyway. After he says his feelings, he would trample them to the ground. If not, then he's just end up as a lonely, loveless Uchiha—somewhat like before but worse. When this happens, Sasuke wasn't sure if there will be another Naruto to save him from this kind of despair. It was hard, Sasuke of all people knew, to suppress feelings for someone. Feelings were powerful and at the same time uncontrollable. Which is why ninjas aren't supposed to have them. Feelings are uncontrollable and even with the ninja rule, inevitable.

So why was Sasuke running away?

_I don't want to drag Naruto in any of this._

_I don't deserve the right to hurt him, much less posses him_.

"Well, that's all I wanted to say. I'd better—" Sasuke was about to leave the tree and walk under the pouring rain when Naruto called out his name.

On mid-step, Sasuke stopped to look at him. Naruto's hair was still wet, temporarily taming his usually wild hair. His blue eyes were much bluer today and with his jacket left wide open, revealing his black shirt underneath, some thoughts sneaked in the Uchiha's head that were so unmentionable that Sasuke felt blood rising to his cheeks.

Who knew this Uchiha can blush?

"What?" Sasuke asked him.

"Why?"

"Because…" Sasuke paused. How was he going to say it? Direct to the point? He was used to a lot of girls confessing their feelings to him and most of time he thought it rather pathetic. The boy would never ever imagine himself in the same situation. "I… I like you."

There goes the confessing part. Now for the trampling-of-feelings part.

Sasuke didn't give much thought to what he just said. Whether it made him look like an idiot or a dunce, he didn't care at all. Thinking about it would just reduce the statement to a mere half-truth, filled with practicalities and most of the time false assumptions. Sasuke didn't want Naruto to hear that. He wanted him to hear the truth.

And after this, he will restrain his feelings to the extent of his capability.

"You do?" Naruto asked in disbelief. He seems to be taking this quite lightly. As if his kunai got lost somewhere or his hitai-ate got scratched on the day of his graduation or something. "I thought you hated me."

"Well I obviously don't now, do I? Or else I wouldn't be telling you just that."

Naruto looked as if Sasuke has just recited something in Greek. The boy was thinking hard, as if battling the Kyuubi demon inside of him. What he was thinking about, though, was still a mystery.

"Look, _dobe_… Naruto, I just wanted to let you know. I don't mean to pursue further these feelings so it would really be helpful if we don't talk about this again,"

"So you'll return to hating me again?"

"If that's what it takes—"

"Is it that easy?" the blonde interrupted.

"Huh?"

"Is it that easy to lo—like someone one moment and the hate him the next?"

"Stop making this harder than it already is, _usaratonkachi_! These kinds of feelings will get us nowhere! What would happen to me if I let myself get distracted by these emotions? Everything I worked for will crumble. I need to hate you so that I can get this annoying feeling out of chest and get on with my life and I'd rather you do the same."

"But…"

"What?" Sasuke snapped.

He didn't mean to be rude. He was just frustrated, that's all. He wanted Naruto to understand that he can't possibly pursue such feelings. What would become of him? Uchiha Sasuke—the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, Uzumaki Naruto's part time admirer? Nope, he won't let himself sink that low. He had a goal, after all.

_Why is he so interested, anyway?_

"I like you too."

**tsuzuku**

A/N: Yehey! It's done. For the reader's information, the third chapter is done already. I'm just too busy to type it right now. Fear not for I will find the time to do so. Again, corrections, constructive criticism and violent reactions are most welcome. Just tell me if the characters are OOC, 'kay? I'm trying my best to keep them in character. There, hope ya like it! And I need reviews! Ehehe.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay. Here it is. This ends the _Sasuke: Near Kisses _Trilogy. Again, the plot is over used, I know. I'm running out of fic ideas! Must be writer's block. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

SASUKE: NEAR KISSES

Part III

dedicated to my dearer—for being my dearer

Uzumaki Naruto never got used to things going his way. He usually had to do a series of complicated steps before actually achieving something. But hey, that's exactly what life is. It was only recently that everything seemed to fit, like a jigsaw puzzle of some sort. Everything agreed with him, if they didn't go his way, that is.

Sasuke's confession though, was too unexpected to be good and too unbelievable to be bad.

Okay, so Naruto LIKED Sasuke. He enjoyed their constant and oftentimes pointless arguments, their uncanny ability to unconsciously complement each other and even their everyday insults. To sum it up, he enjoyed everything. Only, like Sasuke, he knew that such feelings would cause a lot of complications. Stating these complications would be completely pointless because they are so obvious that one can choke on them.

"This… This is… completely unexpected," Sasuke said after what seemed like eons of silence.

What was so unexpected about that? Sasuke was handsome, skilled and great. Surely he, of all people should know that he 100 likeable if not for his icy demeanor and degrading insults. If the girls of Konoha fell for him, why not Naruto too?

"A ninja has one word," Naruto replied, unable to look at Sasuke straight in the eye because of his blushing cheeks. "It may sound weird. But it's true."

"Well… then… that's…"

"What should we do about it?" Naruto asked.

"Forget about it," the Uchiha replied as nonchalantly as possible. "It's the only way unless we want to be caught up in this stupid emotion,"

"Forget?" the blonde echoed.

_Is it that easy for you?_

Maybe Sasuke saw Naruto as an entertainer of some sort, who can fill his days with naïve childishness and sincere smiles but Naruto _genuinely_ cares for Sasuke. He would die for him, just as Sasuke demonstrated during that fight with Haku. Even before, Naruto saw Sasuke as a friend. The best friend he ever had. Sasuke knew him inside and out and he could demand anything from Naruto—and the boy would gladly do it. As time went by, Naruto realized that he wanted something more. Just recently, he found out that he wasn't contented in being just a friend.

"Yes, Naruto. Forget." Sasuke replied. "You do want to be a Hokage and I, of course, plan to pursue my revenge for my clan. This kind of… distraction will only lead us away from our goals."

"Oh," Naruto managed to say. He wanted his "Oh" to mean "I see. I haven't noticed that." But what he really meant was "Am I that easy to forget, Uchiha Sasuke?" Hopefully, Sasuke will get the right message and even if Naruto's "Oh" could mean a lot of things, there was a slim chance that Sasuke won't figure out that Naruto's "Oh" clearly meant that he wasn't in favor of this arrangement.

But what Sasuke wants, Naruto makes sure he gets.

"Forget, then." Naruto said in a choked voice.

"Forget,"

ooOOoo

It has been years since that conversation of theirs transpired. Naruto and Sasuke underwent missions together, fought together, graduated together and everything else in between. Although a lot of restraint was present whenever the two would get close (i.e. all the time) they somehow managed to push down those urges—and indeed they had gotten what they both wanted. Or at least they were closer to it now.

Naruto and Sasuke both became jounins recently.

"Congratulations!" Haruno Sakura hugged her two teammates. The two of them were more mature now although Naruto still retained his childish grin. They were both taller, leaner and if possible, more attractive.

"Ehehe," Naruto laughed at the comment.

"You should treat us, Naruto!" Sakura announced, punching Naruto's arm lightly. The girl too, has matured into a young woman—without those raging hormones urging her to claim Uchiha Sasuke as hers. "Sasuke-kun too!"

"I'm kind of broke," Naruto admitted sheepishly. "I spent all my money on that—" he trailed off and accidentally caught Sasuke's gaze. This triggered Naruto to blush and mutter nonsense.

Sasuke looked puzzled for a moment and after a few minutes, he felt a smile creeping up his lips. The new Jounin looked so adorable at this moment and this had a lot to do with the anonymous package Sasuke received on his birthday.

"I'll treat you," Sasuke said. Even though he has changed over the years, his voice still remained the same—mysterious, captivating and all-too sexy.

"Really?" Sakura perked up. "That's great!"

"Wha—" Naruto felt his mouth hang open. "What about me?"

"You can tag along if you want," the Uchiha shrugged. He and Sakura walked on ahead, leaving Naruto brooding behind. From where he stood, Naruto can see how Sasuke really had changed. No longer was he the cold and insensitive bastard of before something happened and changed him into… something more human. Then again, Sasuke never acted human. He was far too perfect at almost everything possible that it was hard to believe that he was actually part of the human race. Nevertheless, Naruto appreciated Sasuke's company. Even though there was a lot of restraint present.

Naruto smiled wistfully as a wave of nostalgia ran through him. The conversation he and Sasuke shared is still fresh in his mind, to the last heartbeat. He understood how Sasuke felt—even without a family to call his own or even a brother who was capable of killing his entire clan, save one. Naruto knew what he had to go through and yet no matter how much he wanted to help, there was no way he could.

Sasuke was right. They should just forget the feeling. Abandon it. Ignore it. Forget it. Even with Sasuke's crystal clear words, Naruto couldn't bring himself to forget it. Anything but that. You can ask Naruto anything but that. Forgetting is simply not an easy task.

Especially when it's Sasuke we're talking about.

They reached Ichiraku a few minutes later and the smell of ramen was a dead give-away of what Sasuke planned for their dinner that night. Sakura smiled at Sasuke before taking her seat while Naruto got excited at the prospect of having ramen. In fact, anything ramen excited Naruto.

"Hurrah! Ramen!" Naruto cheered, forgetting for a moment that he was now a grown man who just earned his Jounin title. He had a big grin on, like a child during Christmas. Naruto is not a child then again, he won't be Naruto if he didn't act like one.

"I'm treating Sakura, dobe, not you." Sasuke informed.

Naruto's face fell.

"What? But—but… I TURNED INTO A JOUNIN!" the young man wailed. "Why won't you treat me too?"

Sakura smiled at the childish yet entertaining display of affection between the two. They may not have noticed it but Sakura did—she can't be _that_ blind, can she? Sasuke and Naruto may act like bitter rivals but under certain circumstances, they show a different relationship.

"Treeat me," Naruto thought of saying, together with the kneeling position and the pleading puppy-dog eyes. But his pride wouldn't let him stoop down low, even for ramen. He had a certain degree of dignity when it comes to Sasuke. The Kyuubi boy wanted to show Sasuke that he wasn't worth forgetting, even though he knew very well that Sasuke's mind was made up. And clearly, Sasuke has mastered the art of forgetting, with how his eyes remained calm and cool near him.

"Ah, I'll pay my own," Naruto grumbled.

The three sat down, with Sakura sitting in the middle of the two. The man there quickly recognized Naruto's grinning face.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Yo, oji-chan!" Naruto greeted back.

"I heard about your new rank," he told Naruto with a smile. "Congratulations."

"But of course! I'm going to be a Hokage someday!"

A few inches away, Sasuke felt something stab at his heart—yes, he does have one. So Naruto still had that goal in mind. Not that Sasuke blames him. Naruto was born as stubborn as a rock and seemingly nothing can change that. Unlike him, Sasuke was beginning to have doubts about his own goal. Should he really pursue it?

_Of course. What else would be my purpose without it?_

Sasuke smiled as he watched Naruto chat happily with the old man. The boy was obviously loved by everyone who knew him well. Then again, what was there to hate? Naruto has this naïve personality that never fails to amaze anyone. He's sincere, honest and open and this helps him win a person's trust. He has a persevering attitude which is sometimes annoying but all the same, inspiring. And yet, despite his grinning face and childish antics, lies a lonely, love-starved boy.

Sasuke, at one point in time, thought he could help Naruto. In fact, they could help each other. They were both alone and orphaned at a young age. He really thought he could. It wasn't because he wanted company—or even a new family again—he just couldn't stand to see a boy so broken. Outside, Naruto never lets anyone see how sad he truly is. But Sasuke saw beneath those layers Naruto built around himself. He knew how he felt when saw fathers playing with their children or mothers preparing lunches.

_I want to help him._

Naruto was a boy unfairly deprived of a family and if that wasn't enough, the town's most feared creature was sealed within his body. He didn't deserve the contempt or the hate the villagers gave nor the taunts and teases of the children around.

_I want to help him._

_I want to comfort him._

_I want to love him._

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto's voice interrupted Sasuke's thoughts yet again. It was only then that he realized that a steaming bowl of ramen was in front of him.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura peered at him worriedly.

Sasuke just nodded and started to eat,

But nobody said anything about forgetting Naruto. At least, not Sasuke. Not this Uchiha. He tried hard, yes. Lord knows he tried really hard to forget. After all, it was he who came up with the plan in the first place and with the knowledge that Naruto likes him too, the ides of entertaining these feelings is very tempting indeed.

_Can I really?_

Sasuke knows he can't. This is, in a way, helping Naruto. Naruto wanted to become a Hokage, as he had said so and in doing that, he can't possibly be distracted by such things. This is for the best.

Sasuke sighed and proceeded to eat.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura called out.

The three were now seated on a grassy plain, staring at the wonderful celestial display before them. Sasuke caught himself glancing at Naruto but he afterwards scolded himself for doing so.

_I can't possibly complicate his life now, can I? Not with his dream to be a Hokage within reach. _

"Yeah?" Sasuke answered nonchalantly.

"Do you believe in destiny?" Sakura asked dreamily, casting a look at the stars.

"No," Naruto answered before Sasuke could. "Geez, you sound like Neji, Sakura-chan."

"But wouldn't it be romantic? To know that there's only one person meant for you and that no matter what you do you'll always be pulled towards each other?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in mild curiosity—of how Naruto will react, that is.

He watched as the two went on, debating and arguing about the Heavens. Naruto persisted that you can get what you want, as long as you believed in yourself. Sakura, on the other hand, argued that no matter what a person does, there is always a carefully mapped out plan for him to follow and everyone will be bound to it.

Although Sasuke didn't care about those things, what Sakura said intrigued him.

…_There's only one person meant for you…_

_Yes. One. Only one. Maybe Sakura is the one. They get along well, if not for their constant arguments. Maybe that's what Naruto needs. A wife. A family. Not a nuisance like me. No, he'd be better off without me. _

_Yeah. He will._

_I'll make sure he will. _

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled at the young man's retreating back. From the short and lanky boy he was, ha had grown into a tall, lean young man full of vitality and exuberance. Naruto turned around, saw Sasuke and stiffened. He started to walk towards him, with an unreadable expression on his face. As he came closer, Sasuke felt his heart beat erratically. It only behaved that way when he was with Naruto and Itachi but Sasuke was sure it was for entirely different reasons.

Sakura had left a bit sour from their debate. Naruto was pretty much the same, but he seemed to be taking this fight quite lightly. Sasuke, who was beginning to get confused as hell, decided to take matters in his own hands.

"What is it?" Naruto asked.

"I need to talk to you," Sasuke replied. "As a concerned friend."

"Well, what's stopping you?"

Sasuke felt his heart get pierced by this cold indifference. Yet he knew that he was somehow to blame. He wanted the boy to forget about him, didn't he? It was the right thing to do yet…

Why did it feel so wrong?

"Do you plan on getting married?" Sasuke blurted. By the looks of it, they were both surprised at the question.

"What kind of question is that?" Naruto frowned.

"A sensible question," Sasuke pointed out. "That is meant to be answered."

"You're not ordering me, are you?" The Kyuubi boy narrowed his eyes at him. Sasuke felt a small smile crawl up his lips. Stupid as Naruto may seem, he can still manage to tug at Sasuke's heartstrings whenever he wanted—hell, there were even times when he does it unconsciously.

"No," Sasuke finally replied. "I'm not,"

"Fine then." Naruto shrugged once more. For a second there, Sasuke was about to let the matter rest but Naruto's next words prevented him from doing so. "To tell you the truth, I don't know."

"You don't want to marry Sakura?" Sasuke asked him in mild surprise. "I always thought you wanted to."

"I thought so too," Naruto admitted. "But things change. I change."

"That seems weird, coming from you. Weren't you the persistent one chasing after the Hokage title?" Sasuke smirked, in hopes of uplifting the mood between them.

"I didn't give up," Naruto stated firmly, as if to tell Sasuke that this wasn't just a simple matter to discuss. "I just realized that… I was barking up the wrong tree."

"Well Naruto, whoever the _lucky_ girl is," Sasuke drawled, placing his hands in his pockets. "Marry her. Have kids. The whole package. You'll be better off that way."

_Exactly. Better off without me._

"What is wrong with you today, Sasuke? I don't need to hear this—not from you." Naruto frowned. First the "fight" with Sakura, now this. If it weren't for his new rank…

"Naruto, I'm telling you, this is out of concern. You understand don't you? That you need a wife to stay with you until the end of eternity… or something."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because… I'm worried about you. Once you find the one, the right one, don't ever let her go. Make her yours."

"Who do you think I am? Some kind of desperate bachelor or something?" Naaruto asked him. "I know that. You don't need to tell me."

Naruto hung his head, waiting for Sasuke to reply. To say _anything_. He was the only one who can do that to him. Otherwise, Naruto wouldn't allow it. He had hoped for years that maybe someday he could accept that Sasuke prioritized the death of his brother but he never did. He teased Sasuke, laughed with him, fought with him and even waited for him.

Yet he didn't come.

But Naruto knew better than to give up. All his life, he knew that one should not quit. And that goes the same here. Sasuke may care more about Itachi than him but naruto cared for him more than anything else—even ramen.

_Make her yours._

And when Naruto looked up, Sasuke was gone.

Sasuke was aimlessly walking around, a deathly boring way to spend time. If it wasn't for the calm scenery and sense of tranquility this activity offered, Sasuke could've died of boredom, if such a thing were possible.

Thoughts ran in and out of his head and they all had one thing in common—Naruto. Try as he might, he can't forgive himself for that cocky display a while ago. Of course, it was entirely up to Naruto what he planned to do with his life. Sasuke didn't have the privilege to dictate his way of living.

Yet he only wanted Naruto to be happy. That's what he wanted from the very beginning. He'd be able to have a family of his own, children of his own… a wife of his own…

Sasuke felt jealous for the would-be bride.

But who was he to feel jealous when feelings are a foreign aspect for him? Who was he to feel jealous when it was his damn fault why Naruto isn't with him at this very moment?

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke looked up and saw Naruto yet again. The sight made him feel worse.

"What is it, _dobe_?"

"I thought about what you said and I realized that you were right. I do need someone to stay beside me through eternity."

Sasuke decided best not to reply.

"I know just who to go to and I'm going to follow your advice, Sasuke!" Naruto grinned at this statement.

_Can I possibly live with the fact that he belonged to someone else?_

"Naruto, I have something to tell you," Sasuke interrupted. "Everything I said, forget it. Forget all of it. I have realized that I, too, need someone to stay with me…"

They were right in front of each other now and Sasuke knew that this was the moment to make up for all the things he said—all the wrong things he said. Yes, he was willing to give everything and anything for Naruto. By far, he was the only thing that Sasuke treasured. If he lets his go now, what kind of idiot would he be?

Although it would be up to Naruto to accept him.

Naruto studied Sasuke. At that moment, he knew that he could never forget about Sasuke or his feelings about him. Sasuke could kill him, torture him or even bribe him but it still wasn't possible. Naruto would give anything just to be assured that Sasuke's smile would only be for him, his eyes only for him… that Sasuke was only for him.

Naruto resolved silently that he will make Sasuke his, whatever the price. He'd go against destiny even, if that's what it takes.

"I won't stop until you're mine, _usaratonkachi_" Sasuke told him determinedly.

Naruto started to laugh and a look of confusion crossed Sasuke's face.

"_Baka_, I'm already yours."

owari

A/N: I hope that this chapter is worth the wait. By far, this is the longest chapter I've typed. Hope you enjoy reading it. You don't know what I had to do to get this posted here. Anyway, please read and review!


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